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How do human nasal cavities change between birth and puberty?
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Sagittal view of the human nasal cavity.
At birth, human nasal cavities are shallow from above downward. Following birth, they undergo a process of rapid deepening that continues until the age of puberty.1
Additionally, the paranasal air sinusesâwhich are outgrowths of the nasal cavityâare either absent or small at birth. These cavities gradually enlarge throughout childhood and typically experience a period of rapid growth at puberty.2